(Immediate)  Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Sona Iyengar

Fletcher Allen Public Relations

802/847-2886

Fletcher Allen Health Care Reaches Half-Way Mark in Nursing Recruitment and Retention Campaign

54 Registered Nurses Sign Up in First 44 Days of Campaign

BURLINGTON, VT. - Fletcher Allen Health Care announced today that it has reached the half-way mark in its effort to hire 100 nurses in 100 days. Fifty-four nurses have signed up through the program to date.

The comprehensive recruitment and retention plan is designed to attract nurses to the academic health center and to retain the nurses who work there. The campaign runs from August 2 to November 9.

Of the 54 nurses, 31 are new to the organization; 16 are Fletcher Allen nurses who increased their hours; six are former Fletcher Allen nurses who were re-hired; and one is a traveler, or temporary nurse, who converted to permanent status.

"This is an exciting milestone in our campaign," said Chief Nursing Officer Mary Botter, Ph.D., R.N. "We are bringing many new nurses into our organization - and we are seeing a commitment by our existing nurses to expand their hours. As we move forward, we will continue to work on both recruitment and retention of nurses -- to enhance our ability to deliver high-quality patient care."

Fletcher Allen and the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals announced the 100 Nurses/100 Days campaign on July 30th.

The campaign includes a direct mail and advertising campaign and a variety of financial incentives for:

• Current Fletcher Allen employees who refer nurses to Fletcher Allen
• Current "per diem" nurses who increase their commitment to either part-time or full-time
• Part-time nurses who increase to full-time
• Nurses who join the organization on a part-time or full-time basis

All sign-on bonuses are offered in two payments - half at 90 days and the remaining half after one year, with a required employment commitment of two years.

In the area of nurse retention, there are several ongoing efforts already underway to help foster a work environment that ensures nurse retention.  In addition, following a series of discussions with the Federation of Nursing and Health Professionals, Fletcher Allen has agreed to take several actions to support retention, including reopening discussions with the union about wages for current nurses.

For detailed information on the campaign, and a complete list of financial incentives, visit www.FletcherAllen.org and click on the 100 Nurses in 100 Days symbol. To reach a nurse recruiter call: 802-847-4429 or 800-722-9922.